Thrive-Feel Stress Free App Review

As most of my regular readers will know, I suffer with Anxiety and Depression.
Currently I’m once again stuck on a waiting list, waiting for an NHS professional who can do a Monday or Friday each week to see me.
So when Thrive gave me a month free subscription to their new app ‘Feel Stress Free‘, I jumped at the chance-anything to try and help me during this familiar ‘waiting list’ period.

Who are Thrive?

Thrive help protect, detect early and manage mental health problems. These include Depression and Anxiety (which is why they’re perfect to help me!)

Using effective techniques, they enable you to cope better with the stresses of life.

the ‘feel stress free’ app

Once you’ve logged in, the app opens up onto a beach scene. From here you’re able to visit different islands with different techniques and activities on.
Every time you come back to the app, it asks you about your current mood. This information is stored in the ‘Mood Meter’ which keeps track of your moods and helps you to keep track of your progress and shows you what you need to work on.

The Main IslandHere you will find, four techniques. Breathing, Meditation, Deep Muscle and Self Hypnosis.
Each technique has years of research behind it, and, as well as keeping track of your moods with the mood meter (on the next island), the techniques enable you to try and gain some control over your stress.

Message in a Bottle IslandWhen I first saw this I didn’t really see how it would benefit me, but the reassuring messages of strength, guidance and advice from strangers, actually really helps. It gives you a boost that someone has gone out of their way to send just a little thought.
This island is also where you’ll find the Mood Meter I mentioned above, and the Progress Meter, showing you just how far you’ve come.Zen GardenThe third island has a Zen Garden feature on it. Once again, you can’t really work out how this will help you at first, but I kind of used it as my reward for doing my techniques each day-being able to go to the Zen Garden afterwards, actually relaxed me further-I genuinely think it’s a really important feature to have on the app.

How did ‘feel stress free’ help me?

Obviously the proof is in the pudding so to speak-and I can only base my review on my own experiences with this app.
I genuinely believe it has filled a gap while I’ve been waiting to come off of the NHS waiting list I’m currently on.
Using CBT is something I’ve not done before, and I really feel like I could benefit from that with a counsellor now too.
I’m not sure if the app replaces the need for intervention from actual people, but it definitely helped me and I believe it can help a lot of people.

the price

Obviously this is a paid app, but I honestly don’t think anyone is aware of how affordable it is! For only £4.99 per month (or £3.33/£1.99 if you pay quarterly/yearly), it really is super cheap for something really worthwhile.

To find out more about the app, the subscription plans and much much more-head over to the Thrive website HERE!